I Need You
by MandyCakes
Summary: DanielBetty future fic. Betty's getting married, Daniel has some strange feelings about it. Please Review!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: **I don't own Ugly Betty or any characters..except the ones I made up for this story.**

**Author's Note: **Hi everyone! I'm going to update my other fics shortly...I just randomly woke up with yet another idea for a Daniel-Betty story and I had to get it out of my system. This is probably a three chapter story. Enjoy...and PLEASE tell me what you think :P

Oh yeah...memories are in italics. That's it.

* * *

Daniel stood in front of her place, his heart pounding with anticipation.

The December cold was finally starting to affect him and he wondered why he had been bold enough to come in the first place. He'd been over it a million times in his head…finally he'd decided to drive himself over here. He should be able to tell her…it shouldn't be this hard.

But the situation had gotten complicated recently…she was getting married now. Before long she would officially belong to someone else and he'd no longer refer to her as his Betty, although…he'd always think of her as such.

He shivered again, and let out a sigh when he noticed fresh snow start to fall. He took another look up at the light coming from her apartment and shook his head. What was he thinking? He needed to give it up. It was over.

Daniel turned in defeat, watching the visible puff of air escape his lips as he treaded back to his sports car. "Daniel?" the voice that always managed to make his heart jump caused him to turn around.

"Hey Betty," he smiled sheepishly, knowing she was wondering why he was here so late and why he hadn't tried to see her.

Betty wrapped her purple scarf tighter around her neck and walked to where he was standing on the sidewalk. "What are you doing out here?" her contact-covered coffee eyes gazed up into his curiously.

Daniel contemplated her question and opened his mouth to answer, knowing his response likely would illicit another question from her.

How had he gotten here? How had be become the pathetic loser that stands outside of his best friend's apartment in the snow? It was a long story…

- - -

_It happened on a Friday in the second week of August. The week had been hectic for all involved in putting together the big fall issue of Mode. Models were still being selected for the fifth annual Mode fall fashion show, not to mention the numerous prospective layouts and articles that still needed approval from the editor-in-chief himself._

_Needless to say, Daniel was very relieved when he realized it was six-thirty. The week was over and a much needed break was in store. The majority of the Mode employees had left later than usual, but the floor was practically empty anyway._

_He loosened his tie and leaned back in his chair, glancing at his assistant's desk. A small grin came to his face as she pushed her red-rimmed glasses up the bridge of her nose. Of course she was still here. Betty was so hard-working…so dedicated to her job. _

_In the four years she'd been working at Mode, she'd learned the ins and outs of the fashion industry and gained the respect of her co-workers, even if they didn't all agree with her fashion sense at times. But that was one of the many things that made her Betty. It's what made her so great. _

_He noticed she seemed to finish whatever it was she was typing and got up from her desk. She sauntered into his office, always wearing that wonderful smile of hers. _

"_Well we made it Mr. Meade…the week is finally over," she sighed, leaning over his desk. "I know…I'm so beat. I can't wait to get to sleep. And don't call me Mr. Meade…it makes me sound old," Daniel told her, as he relaxed in his chair. _

"_You mean you're not gonna party the night away to relieve some stress?" she teased him, grinning. _

"_Now you know Jessica wouldn't have any of that," he replied, letting out a light laugh. His girlfriend of seven months was a real estate agent. She was smart, successful, fun to be around…not to mention beautiful. Daniel really liked her, but something was keeping him from taking their relationship to the next level._

"_This __**has**__ been a very busy week. Daniel, there's something I've been waiting to tell you and I don't know if I can keep it in any longer," she smiled at him as only she could, Daniel amused with how unsuccessful she was at hiding her excitement. _

"_Well tell me already!" he smiled. "Okay. Robert proposed last weekend and I said yes! I'm engaged!" she excitedly showed him her left hand and the beautifully cut diamond ring on her finger._

_Daniel sat upright in his chair, the smile on his face now mixed with confusion. "You- you're engaged." he repeated her statement almost like a question. _

_She nodded with glee. "Wow…Betty. This is-" he paused searching for a word that fit how he should've felt for his best friend. Something like wonderful. Great. Fantastic. But that's not how Daniel felt as he held her small hand in his, critically examining the ring. It's not like he was going to find any flaws. Robert was a successful lawyer…it's not like he couldn't afford the best. _

_He was definitely getting the best._

"_I know what you're thinking, Daniel," his blue eyes moved from the ring to hers. "It's just…are you sure? I mean…you've only known him for a few months," he added, reminding himself that he was ready to do the same with Sofia a few years ago. But this was different…this was Betty. _

"_I know it seems kind of fast, but I feel that the timing is right. I wouldn't rush into something I wasn't comfortable with," she explained. _

"_I know you wouldn't Betty. I trust your judgment. I'm happy for you," he stood, watching her walk around the side of his desk. "Thanks Daniel. That means a lot to me." Betty gave him an appreciate smile. _

_He moved closer to his assistant-turned friend and wrapped his arms around her small frame. He was happy for her. Or he wanted to be more so. What was his problem anyway? Betty deserved to be happy. Daniel rested his head on hers momentarily, wanting the uneasiness he felt about Betty's engagement to go away._

- - -

"Well what are you doing out here?" Daniel asked her. She shrugged, "I wanted to get some fresh air. Even if it is cold fresh air. But that's not fair…you still haven't answered my question," Betty raised an eyebrow at him.

"I just…wanted to see you I guess," he admitted, glancing at the snowflakes accumulating on her pea coat. She grinned at this. "You see me almost everyday, silly. What's this really about?" Betty asked.

Geez. Daniel had forgotten that she could read him like a book. "I need to talk to you." There…he'd said it. That was a good start.

"Okay. We can go inside. Or we can walk around the block. It's not **that** cold," she suggested. "Let's walk," touched the small of her back, leading her down the sidewalk.

- - -

_Daniel sat on his couch early that morning, unable to sleep. He flipped mindlessly through the channels, not really looking at what was on the screen. _

_He turned towards the hallway when he heard footsteps approaching. "Come back to bed. I thought you had a long week. Aren't you tired?" Jessica asked, sitting next to him on the couch. _

"_Yeah…we did. Maybe I'm not as tired as I thought," he shrugged. "What's wrong?" she wondered as he sighed._

"_Nothing really. I actually uh…got some good news today. Betty…she's umm…she's engaged," Daniel forced a smile. _

"_Wow...that's great. I like Betty…she's nice. They make a cute couple," Jessica wrapped her arms around him. _

_Daniel leaned his head back on the head of the couch, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah…"_

- - -

They walked side by side in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying the other's company. "So. Are you ready?" he broke the silence first.

"For the wedding? I know…only a week left. I'm more nervous than anything, I guess. It's a big step," Betty told him.

He nodded, "is that why you needed to get some fresh air? You a little stressed?" Daniel's gaze drifted to her. She hesitated, then answered, "Yeah. I just needed to clear my mind." He noticed her voice change a bit and her eyes shift downward, just like they always did when she was trying to lie convincingly. He'd let it go for now.

"How'd you know? That Robert was the one you wanted to take that step with?"

Betty stopped in her tracks and looked at him puzzled. "Why do you wanna know?"

He shrugged, "Just curious."

"I mean…when you know you know. We're right for each other. He loves me, and I love him. He's the one for me…I know it," Betty's reply sounded as if she were trying to convince herself. "I never said he wasn't the one for you," Daniel said, watching her frown.

"What's with the interrogation? Is this what you needed to talk about?" His blue eyes found her brown ones. He knew that look; she was angry. The last thing he'd wanted to do was make her upset. She probably wasn't going to like what he was about to say.

- - -

"_What's your problem?" Daniel asked Jessica angrily, taking his shoes off. _

"_You're my problem, Daniel…the fact that you're in some serious denial is my problem!" she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips._

"_I'd like to see where you're gonna go with this one," he loosened his tie. _

"_You're not the same man you were three months ago. Ever since Betty got engaged, it's like your mind is always somewhere else!" Jessica said. _

"_What? Whatever," he got up and walked into the kitchen, pouring himself a drink. "I don't think a drink is going to cure the feelings you have for your assistant, Daniel. You might forget about 'em for awhile, but it won't get rid of them."_

"_Feelings? So now you think I have feelings for Betty?" he shook his head, swirling the drink in the glass._

"_No. I know you have feelings for her. Ever since the engagement, she's become the topic of almost all of our conversations, you're spending more time at work than ever before, and when you're with me, it's like you want to be somewhere else. I wasn't sure until dinner tonight, but now I know it's her that you'd rather be with," Jessica accused him._

"_Jess, you're talking crazy. Betty is my friend…that's it!"_

"_Yeah, your friend that you can't stop talking about or keep your eyes off of. I think you looked at me twice during dinner tonight. At any other moment, your eyes and attention were given to her. And what's so funny is that Betty is oblivious to the fact!" Jessica removed her heels and picked up a few of her stray shirts off the floor. _

"_What are you doing?" Daniel watched her grab a suitcase out of the closet. _

"_I can't do this anymore Daniel. I can't be with someone who is obviously doesn't want to be with me. It's too much to deal with right now," she gathered a few of her items and stuffed them in the bag. _

"_I don't believe this. You know what? Maybe you should go. Maybe this is for the best," he crossed his arms. _

"_What would really be best is if you would wake up and realize that you're in love with her before it's too late!" _

- - -

"Look Betty, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you," he rubbed her arms. She sighed, bringing her gaze back to his. "It's okay. I overreacted."

"The reason I came over here tonight-I wanted to talk to you about…some things," he swallowed hard.

"Okaaay. More specific please," she grinned slightly.

"When you…told me about your engagement, I had these mixed feelings about it. I didn't like it at all…I wanted to be truly happy for you, but I couldn't. I'm still not," Daniel saw the surprised and hurt look on her face.

"Wha-"

"Just let me finish. Please. He's not good enough for you, Betty. He doesn't give you enough of his time. His job requires a lot of him…he's always gonna put his job before you and that's not right. You deserve better than that."

Betty stood aghast, looking at him with her arms crossed. "Wow. How can you say these things, Daniel? I thought we were friends!"

"We **are** friends!"

"Then why won't you just drop it already! **Yes**, okay…Robert is a very busy man. But he's very supportive and he loves me very much," tears had filled her eyes now.

Daniel was pretty sure Robert didn't love her as much as he did.

"Betty-"

"And what makes you such a great judge of character anyway? Look at all the women you've hurt! What happened with Jessica? I bet you weren't giving **her** enough time!" he took a step back, looking at the hurt expression on her face. Betty's cheeks were flushed, her nose was turning red, and her chocolate eyes were filled with tears.

"Oh this is funny. Suddenly we start talking about your relationship and you're speechless," she yelled.

"Alright. Fine…you really wanna know what happened with Jessica?" his pulse raced as he stepped closer to her.

"I asked, didn't I?"

"She left because…she realized that I wasn't in love with her…" he began as confusion spread over her delicate features.

"Huh? Well who-"

"I'm in love with you, Betty," Daniel told her softly, caressing her cheek.

Betty stood frozen, gazing up at him stunned. "What?" her small voice asked, uncertain.

"I love _you_," Daniel whispered, slowly leaning into her, pulling her closer and warming her lips with his own. He kissed her softly at first, feeling her respond after a few moments. The kiss became more passionate, as Daniel's hands made their way down her frame.

Betty suddenly pulled away, resting her hands on his chest. He leaned his forehead against hers, letting his eyes rest on the moist, swollen lips that were pressed against his just moments before. He dipped his head again, his lips barely grazing hers.

"Stop," she told him angrily.

"Betty…I-"

"Don't. Just don't say anything, Daniel. You've said enough," she removed his hands from her waist. She turned on her heel and started walking towards her apartment.

"Betty…wait! Would you just stop!" Daniel quickly caught up with her, grabbing her arm and spinning her around to face him.

"You're selfish you know that?" she pushed him forcefully in the chest.

"What?" he asked, hurt by her comment.

"All you think about is yourself! You wait until a week before my wedding to tell me something like this! And how do I even know it's true? This is…coming out of nowhere!" Betty yelled in frustration, tears springing to her eyes.

Daniel shook his head and pulled her close, forcing her to look at him. "Why would I lie to you Betty? This isn't coming out of nowhere…I've felt this way for a long time. It's just took me awhile to realize it, is all. You're the reason I'm a better man Betty. You're the reason why I could never take the next step with Jessica and why I compared every woman I've been serious about in the last few years to you. They could never match up." Daniel confessed, his blue eyes a sea of emotion.

"So don't try to tell me I don't love you. Because I'm sure of it."

Daniel got lost in her teary eyes, waiting for her to say something. "I'm sorry Daniel…I- I think you should go," she cried. Tears spilled down her rosy cheeks as Daniel loosened his grip on her.

He stood on the snowy sidewalk as she walked back to her apartment, his fresh tears feeling warm against his cold skin. His world was falling apart…and he wasn't sure how to fix it.

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	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Ugly Betty.

**A/N: Sorry it took so long guys...it's hard to update during the summer when episodes aren't on regularly. Hope you like this chapter...it's a little long, but it couldn't be helped.**

**Memories in **_Italics_

* * *

_  
"...I'm in love with you Betty. I love you," Daniel whispered, slowly leaning down to capture her lips. _

_She was rooted to the spot as soon he started kissing her. A small voice in the back of her mind was telling her this was wrong. She should've pulled away. She shouldn't be alone with her boss this late at night. She shouldn't have felt so defensive when it came to the feelings she had for her fiance. She shouldn't have let his lips make her go weak in the knees. And she definitely shouldn't have started kissing him back. But she was. _

_Betty finally found the strength inside to separate her lips from his. His forehead rested against hers as she forced herself to breathe, trying to process what he had said.__Those three words had come out of Daniel's mouth...and were directed at her. _

_ She felt his lips graze hers and told at him to stop. She was suddenly very angry...more so at herself for getting caught up in the moment.  
_

_"You're selfish you know that?" she hadn't meant to say that...she'd just been so upset. She yelled, knowing the tears were falling down her face._

_Daniel had pulled her close and stared deep into her eyes, trying to convince her that his words and feelings were genuine._

_Betty had heard him...she'd processed his every word, but she couldn't handle it. She wasn't supposed to have feelings for Daniel...she was getting married to Robert. She couldn't love him._

_"I'm sorry Daniel...I think you should go," Betty quickly turned away before the look in his blue eyes made her stay._

---

She shook her head at the memory, bringing herself back to the present.

Betty looked back at herself, letting out a breath she'd been holding. She flashed one of her classic smiles in the mirror...but anyone who knew her could tell it wasn't genuine.

She stared at the reflection of the full-length mirror of her bedroom, her heart beating with anticipation.

Her gaze drifted to the bed. The ivory embroidered silhouette gown that she had picked out lay where she had placed it an hour ago. She glanced at the clock…almost 11:00… almost time for her to go to the church.

This was it…it was finally here. The day girls dream about their entire lives. She was getting married today.

The tears in the corners of her eyes should've been because she was overwhelmed with happiness.

But they weren't. Daniel's confession had opened the floodgate to feelings she'd thought she'd put behind her.

It's not that she didn't love Robert…she truly cared for him. But as much as she wanted it to be, she knew it wasn't the same kind of love she felt for Daniel.

Robert didn't get her the way Daniel did.

He couldn't tell when she was having an off day. She definitely couldn't open up to him the way she could with Daniel. And Robert didn't have that mischievous boyish grin that made her stomach do flip-flops.

Daniel was right…Robert probably didn't give her as much time as she would've liked him too…but that could change. Right?

Why'd he wait so long to tell her? Why couldn't this have happened before...when she first realized how she felt?

_- - -_

___Betty let out a sigh, quietly typing away at her computer. She looked up at Daniel, who had just walked out of his office. He made his way over to her desk and stuffed his hands in his pockets._

___She watched his deep blue eyes survey her desk, and then rest on her. Betty slightly raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to say something. "Daniel...what is it? Are you taking your lunch early?" she wondered._

___"What's wrong with you today?" he scrunched his eyebrows together and crossed his arms, his characteristic frustrated pose. Betty looked away and shrugged, "it's nothing. I'm fine," she gazed back up at him, his eyes boring into hers. Betty knew Daniel didn't believe her._

___"You don't look fine," Daniel's voice softened as he stuffed his hands back in his pockets._

___Betty turned away from him in her chair, trying to busy herself as she felt unshed tears coming to the surface. _

___"I mean... You've been moping around and sighing all day long, you haven't cracked a smile once, and you're just... not yourself, Betty." Daniel caught a glimpse of her eyes and gently grabbed her arm. "Come here please," he guided her into his office, closing the door behind him._

___She looked at him looking at her, waiting for her to speak. _

___"Betty...you've been more than just an assistant to me these last two years...you're my friend. You've been there for me whenever I needed you...why don't you let me be there for you for once?" she heard the sincerity in his voice and took a deep breath._

___"My mom died fifteen years ago today," Betty admitted, hearing her voice break. Daniel took a step closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders._

___"It doesn't usually affect me this way but for some reason...this time was different," she met his gaze again, tears freely flowing from her eyes now. _

___"I just miss her...a lot," she whispered, feeling Daniel's arms wrap around her and pull her into an embrace. _

___"I know you do... I'm sorry," he rubbed her back as she cried. _

___"I know this is hard for you, but it's gonna be okay. You don't have to go through this alone," Betty pulled away to look at him as her cries subsided. She pulled her glasses off, wiping at her eyes._

___"Thanks Daniel..." she said appreciatively. "It means a lot to me."_

___He shrugged, "there's no need to thank me. I don't want you to hesitate if something's bothering you...you can tell me about it, okay?"_

___"Okay." Betty replied, watching a small grin appear on his face. "Like if you were to tell me your stomach's bothering you because you're hungry, for example, I'd ask you where you wanted to eat," Daniel's eyes found her surprised gaze._

___"Oh…well... I'm not even really that hungry..." _

_"__Okay then...let's just take a break. Get out of the office for awhile...go to the park or something. By the way, you should know that I'm not taking no for an answer, so you might as well grab your purse and stop giving me that look," Daniel raised an eyebrow. _

___Betty let out a defeated sigh and found herself smiling up at him. He always had a way of making her feel better. "Fine," she caved in as a victorious smile appeared on his face. _

___He turned back towards his desk, starting to say something about what a nice day it was or...something. She was having trouble paying attention. It's not that she was ignoring him on purpose, but the thoughts running through her mind were quite a distraction._

___She wasn't sure why it dawned on her so suddenly. Or why she'd been in denial about the way he made her feel for so long. But at that moment, Betty knew she had fallen head over heels for her boss._

_"__...really nice this time of year. " Daniel continued to explain. "You ready?"  
_

_"__Yeah, I'm ready," Betty nodded, letting him lead her to the elevator..._

___--- _

Betty rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, looking out her window.

It was too late anyway…she'd be married in a few hours. But was she doing it for the wrong reasons?

_-------DB-DB-DB-DB-DB-DB-DB-DB-------_

Daniel leaned against his bedroom window, forlornly gazing at the city below and the numerous people living their lives.

The sun was bright, the air was crisp, and 5th avenue was likely crowded with enthusiastic Christmas shoppers. To any other person, it seemed like an ideal Saturday in December. But for Daniel, it was anything but ideal.

He lazily lifted his wrist up and glanced at the expensive rolex. He rolled his blue eyes at the time, noting that it was a little past eleven o'clock. Betty was probably just arriving at the church, looking beautiful as ever. Preparing to walk towards her future and further away from him.

After he'd poured his heart out to his lovely assistant and she'd all but crushed any hopes he'd had of them being together, Daniel arrived home and let the weight of his actions dawn on him. She was right. He was selfish. Always had been. Perhaps it was a character flaw.

Daniel had immediately pulled out his phone and called her. Soon after the sixth unanswered call, he pulled out a bottle of the hardest liquor he could find and started guzzling it. Not surprisingly, the warm liquid did little to ease his pain and simply sent him to a deep state of unconsciousness.

He'd woken up the next morning, feeling even sorrier for himself, but wanting the alcohol less. What he really wanted was Betty. But she didn't want him.

When Monday morning rolled around, Daniel forced himself out of bed, knowing Betty had already requested the week off so the normal delight he felt when he saw her in the mornings would be gone.

The time he spent without her at work gave him time to put things into perspective. Though having tossed the idea of going to her wedding out of his head initially, by Friday afternoon he reasoned that going would be the best thing to do. It's what Betty would do. Perhaps he could salvage some of their friendship.

Even though he loved Betty and wanted to be with her, he couldn't live with the idea of the two of them not being friends anymore. Besides, Daniel figured that seeing her recite vows to someone else would be a big step in the moving-on process.

So early this morning, he'd woken up, given himself an encouragement nod in the mirror, and put on his suit for her big day.

He'd decided to try to call her one more time, not really sure what he would say if she picked up. As expected, her all-too-familiar voice mail greeted him and he left her a message, forgetting what he'd said as soon as he'd hung up.

As he gave himself a final glance over in his full-length mirror, something on the floor caught his eye. It was a picture of them taken last year at some office party.

Daniel figured he must've pulled it out during his drunken state earlier that week and failed to put it back in its frame.

He leaned down to pick it up, studying the picture carefully. They looked so happy. Betty had just gotten her braces removed and was giddy the entire night.

She wore her trademark smile and had her arms wrapped around his midsection. Daniel's head slightly rested against hers and he was grinning widely with his arm draped over her shoulder.

A small grin came to his face at the memory and faded almost just as quickly. He felt the tears fill his eyes but he blinked them away.

He looked at himself once more, shaking his head. Who was he kidding? He couldn't see Betty today. He couldn't sit in that church and watch her profess her everlasting love and commitment to another man. He just...couldn't.

Daniel moved his forehead away from the cool pane, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He sat down on the edge of his bed, putting the photo back in its frame. He let out a heavy sigh, knowing the next time he'd see her she'd be a married woman.

He felt a knot form in his stomach…and suddenly he didn't feel so well. Daniel stood, putting his coat on and grabbing his keys. He needed some fresh air.

* * *

Betty glanced at her dresser, hearing the message indicator on her phone. She picked it up, dialing her voicemail and bringing the phone to her ear. 

"Betty…it's me. Daniel," his voice was lower and softer than usual. He sounded terrible. She heard him slightly clear his throat and continue. "I know you don't want to talk to me. Or see me. Or…" he paused, likely trying to get his thoughts together.

"You were right you know. You always are. I am selfish. I never should've put you in that position. And I'm sorry. I just…I want you to be happy, Betty. You deserve all the happiness life can bring. And if…if he makes you happy, then…" Betty felt a lump form in her throat. "This is… harder than I thought it would be," he admitted. "I…I umm…I'll see you later Betty. Bye."

She replayed the message a couple more times, the sadness in his voice killing her inside.

"Betty?" she turned at the sound of Ignacio's voice behind the door. She wiped away any residual tears she may have had on her cheeks, an attempt to regain her composure. "Come in," she called.

"It's my little girl's big day," he walked over to her and cupped her face.

"I know...I can hardly believe it," Betty hoped she sounded enthusiastic as she flashed the brightest smile she could muster.

"What is it, Mija?" Ignacio looked into her eyes, which told another story. Betty turned away, shrugging her shoulders.

"This is your wedding day…what's got you so upset?"

"I'm scared," she admitted, wanting the uneasy feeling to go away. "Honey," Ignacio began, "it's natural to feel that way. Marriage is a life-changing experience. Don't be scared…you two are gonna be just fine."

"What if I'm making a mistake?" Betty asked. "Why would this be a mistake? Robert loves you and you love him," he reminded his daughter. "Don't you?"

"I do, but..." Betty glanced at the dress, then turned back to her father. "Dad...there's something I have to tell you..."

* * *

What will Ignacio tell his little girl to do? Stay true to her word or her heart? Hmm... 

REVIEW PLEASE!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Ugly Betty.

**A/N: **Another long-awaited update...sorry for the delay...life's like that sometimes...**Lots and Lots of fluffiness in here...**enjoy the chapter!

**Memories in **_Italics_

* * *

_Daniel opened the door to his penthouse much later that night, his walk having done little to clear his mind. _

_If anything, the walk had only reminded him of how miserable he was. Walking around seeing couples and families Christmas shopping made him painfully aware of the fact he wouldn't be with the one he loved this holiday. Or any holiday for that matter._

_He removed his coat and sat down the small Saks bag on the kitchen counter. He'd wondered around the store for awhile, somehow ending up in the women's section. There was a silk scarf he couldn't keep his eyes off of that he knew Betty would love. "Guess it'll be a wedding present," he mumbled, shaking his head bitterly._

_A light shuffling made him pause and glance toward the living area. He knew he'd heard something…was someone in the house? Daniel knew the alarm hadn't gone off and nothing looked out of place…was he losing it? He apprehensively made his way into the room, but before he could give burglary another thought, the identity of his intruder was revealed._

_He stopped dead in his tracks, his heart feeling like it was going to beat right out of his chest. She stood before him, wearing the long grey pea coat and purple scarf he'd grown to love so much. Her dark locks were pulled back in a fancy bun of some sort, only making her chocolate eyes more mesmerizing to him. _

_"Betty." Daniel found the courage inside to speak, realizing he must've looked rather foolish just staring at her._

_"I let myself in… I didn't mean to startle you," she said quietly, glancing at the wooden floor._

_"No. You-you didn't…" he shook his head, still unable to take his eyes off her._

_So many questions were running through his mind…like why she wasn't on a plane somewhere with what's his name._

_"You're not selfish, you know," Betty broke the moment of silence._

_"What?" Daniel asked, watching her come closer._

_"The other night…when I called you selfish… I didn't mean anything I said."_

_"You didn't?" he asked, almost holding his breath._

_"No." She replied, glancing at the floor again and letting out a deep breath._

_He moved even closer to her, her light perfume awakening his senses. "Betty…" Daniel softly began, "why aren't you- I mean…what happ-"_

_"I called the wedding off," she answered what he couldn't ask. Her eyes were filled with tears when she finally met his gaze. "I couldn't do it... because I love you too," she finally admitted, crying softly._

_Daniel let out a sigh of his own, suddenly feeling as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. He gently wiped tears off her cheeks, his hands cupping her face._

_"I love to hear your voice every morning…I love you for how confident you are at your job and how you always ask me for my input even though you don't always need it. I love how you know me like no one else and how you can read me like a book. I love you for who you are, Daniel. I have for so long…" Betty paused, sighing again and getting lost in his blue eyes._

_"Wow…I feel like I'm dreaming," he admitted, a small grin on his face. Betty smiled though her tears, "nope…this is real."_

_"I love you so much Betty…more than I ever thought possible. And I wanna spend the rest of my life showing you how much." _

_He leaned down and she tiptoed as their lips united in a passionate kiss..._

_---_

Daniel's eyes opened suddenly, the only light coming from the fireplace. "Betty." he quickly sat up as he remembered his dream.

A sigh escaped his lips when his eyes rested on her sleeping figure. It hadn't been a dream...it was real...she was here. He traced her jawline with his thumb, admiring how incredibly beautiful she was asleep. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and he grinned, wondering what she was dreaming about.

Daniel propped himself up on his elbow and sighed contentedly, watching her breathe. He chuckled to himself, never thinking in a million years that he would be hopelessly in love.

She stirred in her sleep, opening her eyes slightly. "Daniel?" she whispered groggily. "Hmm?" he played with her hair. "What is it?" Betty frowned slighly, still half-asleep.

"Nothing. I just love you," he whispered, tracing her lips and admiring her features. Betty smiled broadly at this. "I love you back," she tugged at his shirt, pulling him down so she could kiss him.

Daniel wrapped his arms around her as she snuggled closer to him. Everything was right in the world...for once.

* * *

**I know, I know...a little mushy but I can't help it. Originally, this was gonna be a three chapter story but I feel like continuing it ...just tell me what you think...thanks :o)**


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